Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 11 - Pyroclastic Flow

You walk into the observation deck. Ethan glances in the doorway when he heard someone, he then turn to walk over to you.

"Hey."

"Why can't I breathe?" You say, tiredly.

Just before now, you had woken up to a stomping Michelle walking past the couch in the mess hall. Sasha was sleeping on one of the chair. When you woke up you just left to find Ethan. He caresses your head. Tiredly, you lean into him.

"You're really not feeling good, huh?"

"What gave it away? Me passing out in front of everyone?"

Ethan has to bite his lips to keep his chuckle in, but fails. You look at him annoyed.

"Really? Oh, that's nice, thank you."

You push him away but he doesn't let you go as he laughs. "Come on, it was kinda funny. Who cares? First time I went in a non-grav, I threw up all over Hudson. Carrots went in dehydrated, they came out baby food. Chunky, disgusting, acidic baby food. I'm not making you feel better, huh?"

"No." You shake your head, just leaning into him. He moves you to one of the chairs and sit down with you.

"Alright. I know a trick. Give me your hand."

You let him take your hand and he starts rubbing a pressure point on your palm.

"Does that feel better?"

"Mhm."

"Good." He says and keeps rubbing. "Look, I know your job is to make my life easier, but.. if you ever, uh.. If you ever need to rub it.. you can always, uh.. just let me know, and.." Ethan offers, hoping it doesn't sound too weird.

"Thanks." You smile, still just leaning into him, looking down at his finger rubbing your pressure point.

...

Later Ethan walks into the med lab.

"Hey, Zayn. Coffees not really working for me. Do you have anything to pick me up?"

"Yeah, how's a cocktail of caffeine, tyrosine and B12 sound?"

"Sounds perfect." He says and sit down, pulling his sleeve up.

Zayn takes an auto injector, and inject it into his arm.

"So are we gonna talk about it?" Zayn asks him.

"No."

"Doctor-patient privilege extend all the way to outer space, you know."

"There's no need."

"Do you know that I'm, like, 1/16 Armenian? I know you can really tell by looking, at my, uh.. great-great-great something grandmother fled the genocide.. with two kids. One who could walk and one shel had to carry. And after days of marching through the desert, she knew that if she kept walking with both kids, that all three of them would die.. So she left the baby on the side of the road."

Ethan frowns at him, confused about why he's telling him this story.

"People always ask me.. how could she pick a child to die? I've always marvelled at how she decided who got to live."

"Thanks, I'm feeling better already." Ethan says and goes to leave the med lab.

"Ethan, you will have to talk about Ian eventually.. and not just for the good of the mission, but.. for you.. If not me, at least talk with Yn."

He doesn't say anything and just leaves.

...

As Ethan is walking in the corridor, he suddenly hears a voice. A too familiar voice. I follows the faint voice and it gets more clearer.